A Global TV weather woman who is pregnant is talking about the nasty mail she is receiving from some viewers about her appearance. It seems incredible that people have a need to write to a pregnant woman about her appearance but we live in an age of social media inspired say-anything-no-matter-how-despicable. Maybe such rude and obscene sentiment has always been out there and it took the YouTube comment column and Twitter to provide a forum. The low level of the comments directed at B.C. weatherperson Kristi Gordon has prompted a colleague to tell the writers to stop watching Global. Kristi read some of the letters.  “Nowhere on North America TV have we seen a weather reader so gross as you,” one letter stated, while another read, “Your front end looks like the Hindenburg and your rear end looks like a brick s—house.” Gordon said she wasn’t surprised by the hate mail because the same thing had happened the last time she was pregnant. When she announced this pregnancy on the air, she pleaded with people to be nice to her, but that appeal apparently fell on deaf ears.

A very rocky landing at Halifax airport has sent 23 passengers to hospital in Halifax after an Air Canada A320 from Toronto skidded off a runway as it landed early Sunday. The injuries are said to be non-life threatening and mostly minor. Air Canada says in statements there were 133 passengers and five crew members aboard flight AC624, which left Toronto just before 9 p.m. Saturday for a scheduled midnight landing at Halifax Stanfield International Airport. There was a blizzard underway as the plane came in so there is probably an explanation there and maybe a lesson too. Airport officials said the airbus landed heavily and went out of control immediately into grassland beside the runway.

Daylight reveals just how this landing badly damaged the airbus

Once again well-intentioned people in mostly first world countries have observed Earth Hour. It may be a bit churlish to wonder how many homes with the lights off in Leaside also had the television sets and computers running. The point is that neither Earth Hour nor so many of the things that are done in the name of conservation will not save us from a lack of electricity or even global warming. Our great challenge is to make more power rather than try to live with less. There are many ideas about power generation and some of them seem frankly foolish. Wind turbines fall into that category. Solar power on the other hand has real potential. It would be nice if the Ontario government stopped spending money on windmills and focused more on solar, and on the proven technology Energy from Waste.  This last technology has shown that it can dispose of garbage safely and produce power at the same time. As a social event and commercial promotion, Earth Hour was no doubt a success in Leaside. Against the Grain Tavern invited people to come and drink by candle light. Well why not.  “Joanna” tweeted a picture of what looks like the darkened halls of Leaside High /school and pondered how Earth Hour made her neighborhood look like a Horror Movie. Hey, come on Joanna. CP24’s Stephanie Smyth was at Leaside arena for hockey regretting that lights are necessary to play the greatest game.

Liberal candidate Rob Oliphant was out canvassing on Eglinton Ave. E. near Laird Drive this sunny Saturday. Mr. Oliphant, who is president and CEO of the Asthma Society of Canada, had a full team with him. It is not yet clear whether the riding of Don Valley West, which he contested in 2011 will be in existence at the next election. It is now held by CP member John Carmichael.

Northlea Elementary and Middle School’s semi-annual blood donor clinic will be held this spring on Monday, April 20, 2105. As usual the hours will be from 2 to 7 p.m. This important community event is rooted in the tragedy of illnesses that overtook members of the school’s study body, Noah Wolfe and the late Emily Duff. There is no more vital act of giving for Leaside and area residents than to give blood if they are able.  Previous posts 

Firefighters and EMS staff bring victims out of home at Kingston and Galloway

A fire in a Toronto Housing Corp townhouse complex near Galloway Rd and Kingston Rd. early Saturday has sent four children to hospital. It appears the fire started in the kitchen,. One child is in critical condition at the Hospital for Sick Children. The fire was reported about 5 a.m. by a call to 911 but it is not known whether the call came from the home. The father of the children was on the scene is said to have made attempts in the heavy smoke and flame to save his family. The mother is in a Scarborough hospital in critical condition. Photos via Twitter by Jeremy Cohn, Global TV. 

Buyers line up at 30 Rumsey Rd. Saturday in Arctic temperatures

The sale of furniture, dishes, toys and many other items is underway at 30 Rumsey Rd. this Saturday morning. Buyers are being allowed into the home 15 at a time and that makes for a pretty cold wait in the sub-zero temperatures which are well below normal for March 28.

After a calculated decision a decade or so ago to simply ignore the men’s market, Lululemon has re-discovered men. It is selling pants with a name that will cause girls to giggle and embolden real women — anti-ball crushing pants. ABC for short.  CBC